Cheater
by Bluemoon Stranger
Summary: Is David faced with a temptation he can't resist?
1. Chapter 1

About a year and a half after the Big Bang:

David bounced into the kitchen with a tow-headed toddler in his arms belting out one of his favorite Motown hits, My Girl, Mandy, their almost 16-month-old daughter, was laughing and dancing to her father's singing. The commotion almost caused Maddie to drop the cup of coffee she was pouring. She turned toward the laughter and smiled over at her daughter and the tornado she now called husband. David was dressed in tight bleached out levis and a baseball t-shirt that hugged his muscles. Mandy looked adorable in her blue jeans and a baseball t-shirt identical to David's. The toddler was a tiny replica of Maddie with her father's green eyes and adorable smirk. Mandy was already disheveled with her blonde hair a tousled mess and her shirt untucked from her pants. Maddie inwardly shook her head – David was going to turn their little girl into a wild tomboy if she didn't intervene.

David had been staying home with Mandy since she was about 8 months old. Maddie had stayed home with her for almost 7 months and when she had returned to work, they had tried daycare, but David was never happy with any of their choices. Actually, he wasn't happy that Maddie felt the need to return to work. He felt that a child's place was home with their mother – and not with a bunch of strangers at a cold daycare center. They had argued and fought for months about Maddie returning to the office. David couldn't understand her reasons for putting work over their child. Maddie called him old-fashioned and sexist! She had raged at him that she had worked since she was 15 years old and she couldn't see herself as Susie Homemaker! He raged back that she should be a mother first and when the baby was older than she could return to Blue Moon.

They hit an impasse and didn't talk for almost a week. Finally, Maddie backed down and said she would only work part time. David hesitantly agreed. They found a daycare center down the black from Blue Moon. After a few days and many sneaky trips to observe Mandy, David decided there were too many toddlers and too few teachers. He asked around and found a different daycare center a few miles away. A week later, David pulled Mandy out without conferring with Maddie. His excuse – she had a bruise on her chubby arm! Maybe they were abusing her or not watching her diligently. She shouldn't come home from school full of bruises. That was a knock down drag out fight over that between the Addisons.

"One bruise David!" Maddie had admonished him, "you're making it sound like she was beaten to a pulp!"

David had sneered at Maddie, "she isn't going back! It's too dangerous!" He fumed. He couldn't understand Maddie's blasé attitude with their child's safety!

"Then you stay home with her!" Maddie told him with a deadly glare. And he had. David had been the primary caretaker of Mandy – Amanda Lynn Addison – for the last 5 months while Maddie worked full-time at Blue Moon. Maddie was thrilled with the situation but now she was having second thoughts, and David was getting a bit antsy. But neither voiced their woes to each other.

Maddie smiled over at her daughter and husband. "You've been very jolly lately" she addressed David. David felt a twinge of guilt." Jolly me? Ho Ho" He strapped Mandy in her highchair, kissed his wife and poured a cup of coffee. Maddie stared at him over the rim of her coffee cup, "plans?" she asked.

David took a sip of coffee as he sat down opposite Maddie. He shook his head, "No, not really," he told her, "just the play group." he avoided her eyes. Was he happier lately because of a certain mom in the group? David pushed that thought aside.

Maddie raised an eyebrow, "again?"

David felt a twinge of annoyance at his well-dressed wife. She had on a light blue suit which matched her eyes and she looked as haughty and cold as the first day she walked into his office. "Again? What do you suppose I do all day? Knit a scarf? Crochet a hat?"

Maddie backed off, she could see the annoyance in David's eyes, "I didn't mean anything by it David." She snapped back, "what happened to Mr. Jolly?"

Mandy started to fuss, and David never replied.

Maddie kissed Mandy on the head, stroked David's hair and walked out of the kitchen. She heard giggles and turned back to see David lifting Mandy out of her highchair and nuzzling her chubby belly. With a heavy heart, Maddie picked up her briefcase and left for the office.

After Maddie left for the office David put Mandy on the living room floor to play. Maddie's once pristine living room was now filled with baby equipment and toys there was a baby gate on the spiral death stairs and the fireplace was babyproofed with padding around the edges. Sometimes, David thought Maddie was peeved at the disorder Mandy had brought into her life though he would never ask, and she'd never admit it. He sighed deeply -marriage was hard work! -David sat on the floor across from Mandy and rolled a bright red ball toward her. She giggled with delight and pushed back the ball with her chubby hands." Great job!" He loved playing with his daughter. She was smart and funny and cute as Hell, but David needed more. He watched Mandy talking to herself and he started to laugh. She had just begun to say a few words and when she couldn't be understood the little girl could become very annoyed. He smiled as she came running into his arms.

David's thoughts traveled to his wife. Maddie was missing so much! He was the one that watched Mandy take her first steps – Maddie was busy with a case. He was the one who the baby reached out to when she was tired or scared. Of course, he loved spending his days with Mandy but sometimes he regretted agreeing to Maddie's proposal for him to stay home with the baby. He didn't know of any other guy staying home with their kids and it did bother him at times He also felt that his marriage had changed Maddie seemed colder to him. Like she was early on in their relationship They really didn't connect anymore even in the bedroom; they hadn't made love in over a week.

Guiltily he began to think of the moms in Mandy play group and one in particular...

Of course, David convinced himself I love my wife and family and would never do anything to jeopardize his life but just because you're on a diet doesn't mean you can't read the menu David reasoned.

On her drive to work, Maddie began to question her life. After, finding out for certain that David was the baby's father (with her green eyes and dimple she was there was no doubt who was Mandy's dad), David suggested that they get married. At first, Maddie had balked. They needed time to be a couple, time to figure out if they could make it work. David poo pooed all her fears. They loved each other, their sex life was off the charts, they had a baby together - they would be able to work it out and be happy! But were they working it out? And were either of them really happy?

At first, they were in sync and Maddie felt happy with her choices. Mandy had been an easy infant and Maddie had been happy to be home with her baby. But then she began to get the itch to get back to work. When she saw David dressed up in the morning, looking handsome and sexy, she wanted to go with him. She loved being a mom, but she also loved being with David and working. She had been working for most of her life and it was a huge part of her identity. And as a stay at home mom, Maddie felt she was losing her identity, she was Mandy's mom -but inside she was still so much more. Of course, being an old-fashioned man David was not happy when his wife - the mother of his child - told him she wanted to go back to work.

Irritated with being stuck in a huge traffic jam, Maddie sighed unhappily. She recalled those months when she had fought with David about returning to work. Was it her fault that she needed more in her life than being a mommy? She loved Mandy with all her heart, but she knew that David still didn't see it that way. And when they agreed that he should be the one to stay home with the baby, she had figured that her husband would quickly tire of being a stay home dad but instead, she thought morosely, he seemed to thrive. She didn't like to admit it, but she was jealous of David's relationship with Mandy. The baby adored her father and he was the one she wanted when she was tired or scared. That bothered Maddie - a lot. Maybe, she should have been less selfish (David had called her selfish quite a few times during those first few months -and maybe he was right. No one can have it all.) and waited to return to Blue Moon. Lately, she dreaded going to the work. She had assigned Bert to be in charge of most of the cases and she mostly kept to the office. She missed David. She missed being out in the field. Work had become boring. Most days she wished she was home with her baby. But David would think she was nuts if she suggested that he go back to work and she stay home.

Maddie cringed inwardly when she thought of yesterday evening when David had accused her of being an icy bitch. Could she help it that she was not happy coming home to a messy house every night? The cleaning woman came in a couple of times a week, but she couldn't keep up with the bomb that was David. She didn't expect her husband to be Suzy Homemaker, but she couldn't understand how one man and one small child could cause such havoc on a house?! Didn't David realize that when something dropped on a floor, it didn't just pick itself up? Did he think dishes miraculously washed themselves? Bottles automatically got cleaned? Of course, she had mentioned it to David nicely the first few times and suggested he clean up a little. But then when he seemed to ignore her advice, she began to feel angry and upset, Of course, this led to arguments. They bickered almost all the time lately. And it was affecting their love life. She realized that they hadn't had sex in more than a week.

With all the thoughts swirling through her head, Maddie didn't even realize she had pulled into her parking space. She took the elevator up to Blue Moon - alone. She walked down the long hallway - alone. She suddenly realized it wasn't working at Blue Moon that she missed. She missed being with David. The office was boring without him. And now that Agnes was only in a couple of days a week, it was even harder for Maddie to enjoy being at work. And when she reached Blue Moon, she realized that today was Agnes' day off. Bert and Agnes had gotten married and quickly had a baby. Their child, Morris, was almost 9 months old. Agnes had opted to work only 2 days a week. She wanted to be home with her baby boy. The other two days, Morris was watched by Agnes' mother who had moved to LA to be closer to her daughter and grandchild. Maddie wished she hadn't been so stubborn about going back to work. She was regretting her decision and didn't know what to do about it.

"Hey Dave!"

"David!"

"Mandy! Hi cutie!"

When David walked into the playgroup, he was surrounded by a bevy of moms who were happy to see him. Having a man in their 'mother's' group was a novelty to them. They no longer showed up at the class without make-up and frumpy sweats. Even though most were happily married they were thrilled to have the attention of a hot sexy man. A lot of the moms felt they were taken for granted by their husbands. They enjoyed how David made them feel attractive with his twinkling eyes and lopsided grin. He added some spiciness to their otherwise dull routines.

David forgot his worries as he began to flirt with the moms in the group. They gave him the attention that lately was sorely lacking in his marriage. He pushed Maddie and their problems out of his mind as he joined in with the group.

Hollywood Hills Toddlers Group was started by a young mother, named Meghan Malloy. She was the mother of twin toddler boys Jack and Jeremy. Her husband traveled a great deal for his job, and she was often left alone with the babies for days at a time. She had no family nearby and all of her friends were either far away or childless and working. She knew if she didn't get out of the house and try to meet some other moms, she would go stark raving mad. She loved her boys, but she needed adult companionship too. A local church offered her their unused basement, she put up a few fliers at the church, the supermarket and the pediatrician's office. Before she knew it, she had 25 mothers join the group and was thinking of finding a bigger space as the group grew. She didn't charge a fee for the members but asked for donations of snacks, paper towels and other necessities. The group was her happy place and it saved her sanity. And when David Addison joined the group, she felt a jolt of heat that she hadn't felt in a long time. The group met 3x a week. David usually brought his adorable daughter a couple of times a week on Monday and Friday, but for the past few weeks she noticed he was coming on Wednesdays too. Her twin boys loved Mandy and they had become toddler buddies; playing side by side and fighting over toys. She looked up when she heard the greetings and smiled across the room at David Addison.

David's eyes strayed across the room until they locked on Meg Malloy. Meg was a shapely brunette with sparkling brown eyes and a hearty laugh. Although, David was friendly with all the women in the group, Meg was his favorite. She was smart, funny, and gave him the attention he wasn't getting at home. David knew it could go no further than innocent flirting but that was fine with him. He would never cheat on Maddie. David had always been a one-woman man when he was in a relationship. He wasn't the type of guy to stray and cheat. When he was between women, he was a wild man and screwed around. But when he was in a committed relationship, he was committed to one woman. He also felt that once you say I DO -then you don't with anybody else. He was pushed out of his thoughts by Mandy struggling to be put down. Her twin boyfriends were running toward her.

When David put Mandy down, she raised her chubby arms and gleefully headed toward her friends. Meg stood beside David as they watched their kids interact.

David smiled at her sideways, "so where's your husband this week?" David and Meghan often discussed their marriage and spouses with another. They were both happy to have someone who listened to them without judgement.

Meg looked at David with a scowl, "he just got back from Atlanta last night and this morning he tells me he is leaving for NYC in a couple of days." She pushed back her thick brown hair, "he is missing so much of the boys' lives!" She snorted in disgust, "they barely know him. He's like an uncle that comes to visit a few times a month and brings toys and goodies."

"Well at least you have a couple of days together."

"Sure, when he isn't on the phone with some important client or giving advice to his staff." Meg's husband Steve Malloy was a very successful investment banker. He made more money than she thought they needed. She had admitted to herself recently that she had married a workaholic. Closing a deal, making money was more important to him than his wife or children.

She wondered if David's wife knew how lucky she was to have a husband who not only adored his daughter but gave up his work for a while to stay at home and raise her. From the corner of her eyes, she looked at David. With his green eyes, muscular built, and terrific personality he was a catch for any woman. But Meg was unfortunately still in love with her absent husband. Like David, Meg was not a cheater. She was happy to have David in her life as a friend – and that was as far as it would go.

Friday ran its course and the weekend was upon them.

The blazing sun streaming through the window woke David up. He looked over at his sleeping wife and his heart turned over. He still was crazy about this woman! Quietly, he got out of bed, showered, dressed, peeked into Mandy's room – she was sleeping too – and headed downstairs to make some coffee. After he put on a pot, he went back upstairs. The bedroom was empty, but David could hear the shower running, he plopped on the bed and waited for Maddie to come out of the bathroom. A few minutes later he was rewarded with the sight of his shapely wife coming out of the bathroom draped in just a towel. His member stood at attention as his eyes ran over her body. "Hey babe." He drawled patting the bulge in his sweats and licking his lips.

Maddie's eyes were drawn to the tent in David's pants. Her nipples hardened as she approached the bed. It had been too long since they had been intimate.

David shrugged out of his t shirt and pulled Maddie on top of him; he pulled off the damp towel in one move leaving her gloriously naked in his arms. His fingers began to pet Maddie's round butt, sneaking between her thighs. Maddie moaned as she squirmed on top of him. "Damn woman you're hot. I missed this." David whispered in that syrupy voice that hit her right between her legs. He flipped her over and covered her body with his hard one. "Going to scream my name real loud." He pulled off his sweats and his member sprang free. Maddie gasped as he kneed her legs apart and entered her with one forceful thrust.

"David! David! David!" She cried, her screams getting louder with each push of his magic tool.

David chuckled, "sssh babe, a little lower. Don't want to wake up the kid." He covered her mouth with his as she spiraled into a mind-bending orgasm.

Maddie began to come in waves of pleasure. No man could satisfy her like David. She felt him coming inside of her and immediately was propelled into a second, more intense orgasm.

As they came down to earth, David wrapped Maddie in his arms and kissed her neck. "I love you Maddie."

"I love you David." She told him with a satisfied smile, "so much."

They began to move together again but were interrupted by the sound of Mandy calling out. "Daddy Daddy!"

Immediately, Maddie began to feel envious that her daughter called out to David before her! But what did she expect? The baby was with him all day. She had already missed so much. "Let me get her." Maddie jumped out of bed and threw on a robe. "She is my daughter too!" She told him with anger coating her voice.

David nodded and watched curiously as his wife walked out of their bedroom. Hmm… what had her knickers in a knot now? I wasn't the one who forced her to go back to work full-time. He mentally shook his head as he stood and threw on his clothes.

The couple decided to take Mandy to the zoo and had a wonderful time together. Mandy was awed by all the huge animals and was thrilled to ride on a pony – with her dad walking next to her. Maddie and David held hands as they walked through the zoo. They felt happy together for the first time in weeks. When they got home, they put a sleepy Mandy to bed early. For the rest of the night, they talked and made love. It felt like how it used to be.

Their happy glow lasted for a couple of weeks until Mandy came down with a bad cold and cough. David was beside himself with worry even though Mandy's pediatrician told him not to worry. The doctor assured him that she should be better in a couple of days.

When Maddie got home late from work the first day Mandy was sick, David was angry and annoyed. Mandy had finally fallen asleep after being cranky and whining all day long. "Oh nice of you to make it home." He sneered when she walked in the door, "glad you remembered you have a sick daughter."

Maddie looked at David with a stunned look as she put down her purse and shrugged off her jacket. "Are you serious? You called me when you left the doctor and you told me she'd be fine." She started to get annoyed when she noticed the sneer on David's face.

"And you never called!" He accused with his finger pointing at her like a pistol.

"I was busy David!" Maddie sneered back, "I knew she was fine, and I wanted to get the work done so I could get home as fast as possible!"

David looked at his watch, "Yeah 2 hours later than I expected you!"

"I'm going up to see the baby." She ignored his words as she headed towards the stairs.

"Don't wake her!" David told her, "she just fell asleep. Kid has been fussy all day."

Maddie threw him a nasty look as she walked up the stairs. She looked in on Mandy and her heart turned over. She looked so small and pale under her blanket. Maddie wished she was the one that was her with her and the feeling was growing every day, but David seemed so content with the arrangement and she hated to hear 'I told you so.' From his smirky lips. She patted the baby on the head and went to take a long, hot bath.

Maddie heard Mandy's cries when she was toweling off. She put on her robe and immediately headed toward the baby's room, but David had already beat her there. He was holding Mandy in his arms when Maddie walked in. "She doesn't feel warm anymore." He told Maddie as he rocked his daughter, "hopefully she's getting better."

Maddie nodded and reached for the baby, but Mandy turned away and hid her head on her father's shoulder. "Come to mommy Mandy girl." Maddie urged her daughter. Mandy shook her head and held on to David tighter.

David saw the hurt in Maddie's eyes. "Hey, she'll be mommy's girl soon enough. They go through stages Maddie." He tried to convince her. "Right now, it's me she wants."

For the rest of the night, Maddie seemed cold to David. He attempted to make conversation with her once Mandy was asleep for the night, but she just gave him one-word answers. He inwardly sighed and just ignored her mood.

At about 10, Mandy woke up coughing. David took her in the shower with him so the steam would break up her mucus.

"I think we need some more of her cough medicine." Maddie told him holding up an empty bottle. "I'll run out and get some more."

David shook his head and handed Mandy to Maddie. He knew Maddie needed to have time with the baby and feel useful. "No! Let me go. Its late and I don't want you to go out alone in this storm." It had been raining hard for hours.

He handed a sleepy Mandy to his wife and threw on some clothes. "I'll be back in a jiff."

But after an hour, Maddie began to worry. Where was David? Did he have an accident? Did something happen to him? She called his beeper with no response.

"Hey stranger!" David called out. He was surprised to see Meghan in the drug store. Her kids were also sick, and she was tired and worn out looking after her twins.

Meg turned with a smile. She'd know that voice anywhere. "David!" She walked over to him, "how's things? I haven't been to the group. My kids are sick."

"Mandy is sick too! She has a cold and a cough. I just came here to get some cough medicine."

Meg nodded, "I came to get some too! And some nasal spray."

"Oh yeah, let me pick up one of those snot grabbers while I'm here."

They both laughed and made small talk as they paid for their purchases and headed to the parking lot. It had started to pour again. "So, how's your hubby?"

Meg sighed.

"Wanna sit in my car for a bit and talk?" David suggested, he had a few things to get off his chest too.

"I'd like that."

David and Meg pulled up their hoods and raced to David's car. By the time they get to David's car they are both soaking wet. Meg sat in the passenger seat, her teeth chattering from cold. David shook off the rain and turned up the heat. He looked over at Meg and saw her shivering; he took one of Mandy's blankets from the back of the car and placed it gently over Meg.

"You ok?"

Meg nodded and snuggled into the warm blanket. "Thanks! It's chilly out tonight."

"But now we're toasty warm." He smiled at her and leaned against the car door, "so what's with the hubby?"

Meghan shrugged, "Same old crap. The boys were sick and instead of being there and helping me out with them he stayed late at the office!" She seethed, "and when he is home, he's locked away in his office doing God knows what!" She looked at David with a frown, "sometimes I wonder why I stay with him? He's never around. I feel like a single mom anyway!" She cuddled deeper into the blanket, holding it around her like a shield, "I love the asshole that's why!" She answered her own question, "and like tonight. I really didn't need any medicine I just had to get out of the house and be alone for a bit!" Meg confessed with a sly smile.

David laughed out loud, "my, my aren't you a little minx." He sighed, "We actually did run out of medicine, but it was nice to get out of the house. I hear you!" He ran his fingers through his wet hair, "Maddie didn't even call all day to see how she was feeling!" David lamented, "She didn't even come to the pediatrician with me! Sometimes I feel she actually is the cold bitch I first met." David hated talking bad about his wife to another woman, but he needed to get things off his chest and Meg was a good listener. He shook his head, "We've been through a lot of shit together. I love Maddie. I will always love her, but I really can't say I understand her," he stared at Meg with sad green eyes, "She says she wants to be open with each other and talk things out but well, it never works like that. Like lately, I can see something is bothering her, but she won't admit it."

"Why don't you ask her what is wrong?"

"She says it is nothing yet picks on me about little shit." He frowned, "ok, maybe the house isn't as tidy as it should be, but I take damn good care of Mandy!" He fidgeted in his seat, "and do I ever get a 'Good job honey!'," he gave a bitter laugh, "nope. I mean I don't want a medal or anything but a compliment once in a while would be nice."

"I feel like Steve ignores me. He just takes for granted that the house will be clean, the kids happy, meals on the table," she sighed in disgust, "I think he needs a Stepford Wife, not a real live woman."

"I can't make excuses for him but maybe he has a lot on his mind with his business and all?"

Meg stared at David, "you mean like Maddie?"

"Touché!" David chuckled.

The rain cleared up and Meg was about to leave the car when her eyes fell on an ad on the side of the bus stop for a movie she's dying to see. "Oh, I didn't know that movie was out yet!"

David followed her gaze to the poster. "I love horror movies! I want to see it too!" He told her with excitement coating his voice. "But Maddie hates those kinds of movies."

"Yeah my better half does too, 'dumb movies' for 'dumb people', she mimicked her husband's voice. "I saw the first Child's Play movies by myself. My guilty escape." A thought hit her. Meghan tilted her head, and suggested with a shrug, "maybe we can escape to see it some time?"

"Together?"

Meghan giggles, "yes that was my plan." She looked over at him, "unless you're uncomfortable going to a movie with a woman that isn't your wife?"

"No of course not," David assured her, "we're just buddies. Pals! I'd love to go with you."

They made plans to meet up a couple of nights later when Maddie had her baby and me yoga class and Meg knew her husband will be home.

A few minutes later David felt a vibration and looked down at his beeper. A scowl darkened his face, "Shit, Maddie beeped me like 5 times already!" He took the beeper off his belt and shook it. "Must have malfunctioned with getting wait from the rain." David shook his head, "damn I better go, or she'll send a bounty hunter out for me." He was half-joking.

David sped home as fast as he could.

Before David had the chance to open the door with his key, it swung open and before him stood a livid Maddie. He walked past her and held up his hands, "sorry I can explain," he had already thought up a quick excuse for where he was for so long.

"Try me!" Maddie stood in front of him with her arms folded and a killer look in her eyes.

"I had to go to 3 different stores before I was able to get the cough medicine." He told her with an innocent look. "I know you are comfortable with only one brand and it is not easy to find." He hated lying to his wife, but he couldn't just come out and say he was talking to another woman in his car making plans to go to a movie.

David's excuse sounded plausible; he saw her face soften. "I was worried David!" She admitted, "I paged you too!"

"Sorry, it got wet in the rain." He neared her and pulled her into his arms, he needed to be close to her to get Meg off his mind. Even though they were just friends he didn't want her in his head when he was at home with his family. "Sorry about lots of stuff." His tongue maneuvered slowly over her neck landing on that spot that seemed to be wired to her loins. "I love you babe."

Maddie melted into David's arms. She hated the fighting and the coldness between them. "I love you too David." She pulled him towards the spiral staircase. "And tonight, I will show you how much." And she did, they made love and fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms – the way it used to be.

Thankfully, Mandy slept through the night and didn't need another dose of cough syrup. Maddie hated medicating her daughter but knew it was necessary at times. She woke up first and turned with a smile toward her husband who was splayed out across the bed butt naked with his hair sticking up on end. He looked thoroughly fucked out. Maddie couldn't help running her fingers over his treasure trail until she reached the prize below. His member woke up before David did. He opened one blinding green eye as a smirk ran up the side of his unshaven face. "Damn woman. Greedy, aren't we?" He reached out for Maddie. And they started the day with a bang.

David was going to call off his movie night with Meg. He had begun to feel a bit guilty. He decided to pay his wife a visit at work with the baby to clear his head. The office staff oohed and ahhed over Mandy. The baby preened for her audience. She loved the attention.

"I think Mandy is going to be a model like Mrs. Addison." One of the staff pointed out.

David nodded, "yeah she sure loves to show off." He smiled but inside he didn't want his daughter to become a model. There was too much seediness involved. And it might have not touched Maddie, but he didn't want his daughter involved in the industry. Mandy was the dancing and spinning around the office with glee. Every once in a while, she would glance at David to make sure he was still there, Separation anxiety was veering its ugly head.

He was about to inquire about his wife when she walked out of her office laughing with some man. David didn't recognize him, but he looked awfully chummy with Maddie. His wife was so involved with the strange man she didn't even notice her husband and daughter until David called her name. "Maddie!"

Did David detect a guilty look pass behind her eyes before she masked it with a smile? "I didn't know you were planning on paying me a visit!" She approached her husband with a smile. Maddie picked up Mandy and hugged her tightly. Mandy struggled to be put down so she could dance and run around. Maddie placed her down and the toddler immediately ran to David and grabbed hold of his leg. Maddie inwardly flinched.

"Surprise!" David looked over at the strange man who came out of the office with Maddie. Maddie saw her husband's eyes move toward Paul Welton. He was a lawyer Blue Moon had hired when their lawyer retired. She didn't remember if she had mentioned him to David.

"David have you met Paul Welton?" Maddie introduced him to her husband, "he's the lawyer we hired after John retired."

"We?" David raised an eyebrow then turned to the other man, "Nice to meet you. I'm David Addison. Part owner of Blue Moon," he nodded his head toward Maddie, "and Maddie's husband."

Paul had known Maddie was married and had heard rumors that he was a stay at home dad, so he had expected some milquetoast loser, but this guy was rugged and all man. He extended his hand for David to shake, firmly the men shook hands, eyeing each other up and down.

"I hear you're breaking the mold to stay home with your baby." Paul said in a lilting voice, "not many men would forgo their careers to play mommy."

David could see the mocking look in the other man's eyes. He had the sudden urge to punch him. "Oh, I love being able to be with my daughter!" David smiled putting the lawyer off guard. "And I'm not giving up anything. This is my agency too. I will always have a 'career' (David stressed the word) here but babies grow up way too fast." He glanced at his wife who was staring at Mandy attached to his leg with a scowl. "And I'm not playing mommy. I'm daddy." David clarified with a smirk, "and a damn good one. You have kids?"

The lawyer shook his head, "divorced, no kids." His gaze turned to Maddie, "well I guess I should be off. I will call you about the Higgins case." David saw the way Paul was looking at Maddie and he didn't like it at all! Maddie nodded. David waved him bye with his fingers as Paul left Blue Moon.

Suddenly, a terrible thought struck David. Was this jamok the reason for Maddie's coldness? He inwardly shivered with anger. The lawyer was the type of man that Maddie had always pictured herself with – not scruffy David from South Philly who was less of a man for staying at home with his daughter. At that minute David childishly hated them both.

David felt out of sorts for the rest of the afternoon. He couldn't get the image of that lawyer guy eyeing his wife. He decided to head home and hoped Mandy would take a long nap. Instead of napping, Mandy was overtired and over stimulated from her time at Blue Moon. She demanded all of David's attention, so he spent the afternoon holding his cranky daughter in his lap.

When Maddie got home a little before 5, which was early for her, she was peeved to find that David hadn't done the grocery shopping. "David! What's this?" She had the refrigerator door open and waved at its bare contents.

"This?" David quipped not really in the mood for a Maddie tirade, "looks like a fridge to me!"

Maddie glared at him. "There is nothing in here! Weren't you supposed to do the grocery shopping today? We need milk, and bread and eggs and..."

David cut her off as he ran his hand over his face, "pardon me Master but Mandy missed her nap and I wasn't going to take a cranky toddler to the supermarket!" He glared at her, "why don't you try it?"

Maddie shook her head as she put on her coat and grabbed the keys off the table, "I'll go!" She snapped churlishly, "I'm taking your car. I left my keys upstairs."

David didn't even reply he just nodded his head and turned to his whiny daughter who was sitting in her highchair nibbling on cheese and cut up fruit.

As Maddie drove to the supermarket, she was starting to regret her outburst, she was cranky and feeling a bit sick all day but that didn't give her the right to act like a shrew with David. After buying the necessary items, Maddie headed toward the checkout line which was quite long at this time of day. She sighed tiredly and tried to put her annoyance with David aside. Maddie vowed to apologize to him for her outburst. When she left the store with her purchases, she had milk, bread, eggs, cereal, baby food, fruit and other staples. David never remembered to stock the pantry.

Sighing, she placed her handbag on the passenger seat and her eyes caught on a slip of paper. Maddie didn't think anything of it as she picked it up, but her eyes grew wide- tampons, feminine cream, condoms – what was this? Whose receipt was it and what was it doing in David's truck?

Instead of apologizing to David for her churlish behavior thee way she had planned, as soon as she walked in the house and put down the groceries; she waved the receipt in his face. "Do you mind explaining who was in your car and dropped this receipt?"

David's blood ran cold, that had to belong to Meg. He put on his poker face and shrugged taking the receipt from Maddie and looking it over. He looked up with a blank face. "No clue." He pretended to think for a few seconds, "Oh I must have picked up the wrong receipt when I bought the cough medicine," he explained, "it was late and that was the 3rd store I'd been to." He shrugged again, "guess the woman in front of me in line left it on the counter." His eyes narrowed, "and what are you accusing me of?" He asked his wife, "either that I am really a woman or that I drive around strange women in my spare time? Which is it?"

Maddie grabbed the receipt out of David's hand and tossed it in the trash, "oh just forget it!"

"Forgotten." He nodded toward a sleepy Mandy, "think you can take over?"

"I think I can manage." She snapped and instantly regretted her tone, "sorry I'm just tired."

David just nodded wand headed to the bathroom for a shower and some alone time. Damn this marriage stuff wasn't easy.

Maddie had just put Mandy down to sleep when David came out of the bathroom wearing a tight pair of shorts and a torn t-shirt. She was still in her working clothes and was dying to take a nice hot bath. "I think I'm going to take a hot bath."

David just nodded. He was still irked at her for her bitchiness and about not mentioning that lawyer.

"Are you just going to nod at me for the rest of the night?" She wanted to know.

He nodded. She went into the bathroom slamming the door behind her. After a hot bath, Maddie was feeling less moody. She donned her short silk robe and left the bathroom. David was sitting up in bed watching some game on the TV. She went over to the bed and sat beside him.

"Truce?" She offered with a smile.

David nodded, "sure. It's been a long day." He yawned and clicked off the TV. His team was losing.

"David can we talk?"

"Sure."

No funny comment about tongue and lips? He was really annoyed about something. "Something bothering you?"

"You know Maddie even though I'm home taking care of Mandy I still thought that you'd keep me in the loop of things happening at the agency."

"I do."

"You don't!"

"What's this about?" She thought she knew but she wanted to hear it from his lips.

"When did that lawyer guy –Pete Helton – join the crew?"

"Paul Welton." Maddie corrected him.

David waved his hand around in dismissal, "whatever. I really thought that both partners should be in charge of hiring and firing –together." He pursed his lips and stared her down, "Am I not your business partner, partner?"

"He came highly recommended by our previous lawyer John Harkins." Maddie tried to explain.

David tilted his head, "yeah and I guess his good looks and charm didn't have anything to do with you hiring him?" David threw out... "charming, successful, easy on the eyes."

Maddie threw her hands up in the air, "are you joking? I hired Paul..."

"Oh, so it's Paul now..."

"because he is a good lawyer who has a lot of experience."

David nodded.

"Stop nodding at everything I say!" Maddie demanded.

He nodded.

"Fuck you Addison!"

"You're an Addison too. Have you forgotten?"

"I wish!" She spat.

TOGETHER:

David: "You're still the cold bitch you were when we first met! Sometimes I wonder why we are still together. I'm sick of this! What did you say?"

Maddie: "Sometimes I wish I could! You're blowing this all out of proportion! Sometimes I wonder why we are still together. I'm sick of this! What did you say?"

They glared at each other. David jumped out of bed, took his pillow and headed for the door, "I'm sleeping on the couch. Sweet dreams Maddie." He left slamming the door behind him. Maddie put her head in her hands and began to cry. What was happening to them?

Maddie woke up and headed to Mandy's room. The toddler was standing in her crib and started giggling and jumping up and down when she saw Maddie come in. "Mandy baby! Mommy loves you." Maddie cooed to the baby as she picked her out of the crib. She kissed the top of her daughter's head and held her close to her body. "You're my little lady." Mandy grabbed Maddie's hair and pulled, Maddie laughed as she loosened the baby's grasp on her hair, "Yeah your daddy doesn't have much hair to pull now does he?"

When David approached Mandy's bedroom, he could hear Maddie talking and laughing with the baby. He decided to go downstairs to start breakfast and leave Maddie with the baby. He was upset over their argument last night and hoped Maddie was in the mood to make up.

Maddie was happy to see David throw her a smile when she came into the kitchen with Mandy. He had prepared the eggs the way she liked them along with wheat toast and jam. "Wow for me?" Maddie exclaimed as she latched Mandy into her highchair.

David handed her a piping hot cup of coffee which smelled delicious, "for you my queen."

"Queen?" she raised an eyebrow. "about last night..."

Together: "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry."

They laughed and smiled at each other.

"So, what are you up to today?" Maddie asked forking up her eggs. "Hmm...this is good."

"I thought we'd stay home. Mandy was overtired yesterday, and I know tonight is your baby and me yoga class." He felt a twinge of guilt. "I think I may go to see that new horror flick, Chucky 3, while you guys are together."

"Oh, sounds like fun – not!" She hated horror films.

"Ha Ha!"

"And how does your day look?" David inquired sipping his coffee.

"Boring paperwork." What she wanted to say was it wasn't fun anymore. She wanted to spend her day with Mandy not a pile of files and ledgers. But she remained silent.

David waited for Maddie and the baby to leave for their weekly mommy and me yoga class at the local Y before he changed clothes for the movie. He put on a nice pair of jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. He didn't want to meet Meg wearing the food stained sweats he had worn around the house all day. He grabbed his keys and left the house humming.

Meg left Steve with the kids and told him she was meeting up with some mothers at the movies. He didn't even bother to ask what movie she was seeing. She turned her mind to the movie and David and left the house with a smile.

Meg saw David waiting in front of the movie theater when she drove up. She tried not to think about how gorgeous he was with his tight jeans and sweatshirt. She quickly parked, grabbed a sweater and rushed to David. "Sorry, am I late?"

David shook his head with a grin, "nope! Right on time." He saw her go into her purse to take out her wallet and put his hand over hers, "I already bought the tickets."

"Ok the snacks are on me!" Meg told him with a huge smile.

David and Meg took 2 seats towards the back of the theater. The theater was half empty and they had their choice of seats. They both sat down trying not to drop their drinks. They had agreed to share a large popcorn and Goobers.

Meg's eyes lit up, "I'm excited! I hope it's scary!"

"Me too." David took a long pull on his soda.

The movie started and it just as scary and gory as they'd hoped. Some parts had them gasping in fright while others made them laugh out loud. They were having fun.

But as the movie wore on - they pretended not to feel the electric current that passed through them every time their fingers touched when they reached for popcorn. Both tried to ignore how close their thighs were in those tight seats. And when Meg screamed and grabbed on to David's arm – both ignored that she left her hand on his arm for the rest of the movie.

As the credits rolled on the screen, David leaned back in his seat with a huge grin. "Well, that was great!"

"I know I loved the part when..."

Excitedly, they began to discuss their favorite parts of the movie. They didn't realize that the theater was now empty, and they were alone except for one teen boy who was sweeping on the other side of the theater.

David stretched his arms and legs, "well guess we better go..." his voice trailed off as his eyes met Meg's. She leaned in, he moved closer and soon they were locked in a passionate kiss. Their tongues danced together in harmony; David ran his fingers through her hair as Meg out her hand around his neck to pull him closer.

Suddenly, the teenager stood over them... "Um excuse me. The theater is closed now."

David was the first to notice the boy, he pulled away from Meg and stood up holding his hand out for her. She grabbed on to his hand and followed David out of the theater in silence. Both were wrapped up in their own thoughts.

Finally, they reached Meg's car.

"I'm sorry."

"No, no. Nothing to be sorry about David! It was me too!" They stared at one another.

"Yea, we got caught up in the moment. We lost our heads. It meant nothing!"

"Nothing!" Meg agreed, "it was a one-time mistake. I forgot about it already!"

"Forgot what?" David asked scratching his head, "nothing happened!" Hadn't he gone down this road before? He shook that out of his head.


	2. Chapter 2

On Sunday morning, a couple of days later, Maddie was getting the laundry together and going through pockets to make sure they were empty. David had a terrible habit of leaving tissues, gum, etc. in his pockets and Maddie had learned to check them before they were thrown into the washing machine. When she put her hand in his jeans, she pulled out two movie stubs. Two? She was confused. David hadn't mentioned he had gone to the movies the other night with anyone else. And why were both stubs in his pocket?

David walked into the laundry room holding Mandy, "hey want to go out for some chow?" He asked, "I feel like some waffles and ice cream."

Maddie turned to him waving the stubs in the air, "you didn't mention that you went with someone to see the movie."

"I didn't?"

"You didn't."

"Oh well," David looked down at his daughter who was tugging at his chin, "I thought I did."

"So, who was it?"

"Was it?"

"Who you went with."

"Went with?"

"Stop repeating everything I say and answer me David!" Maddie didn't know if he was joking or guilty, but she was getting furious at him. "Who did you go to the movie with?"

"Oh that." He placed Mandy on the floor and she immediately tumbled into the clean laundry in the basket. She loved to play with the warm towels and sheets. "I met up with my bowling pal Mac when I stopped for gas and he was on his way to see the movie too."

"Wow what a coincidence." Her tone was nasty.

"Yeah. I guess."

"And you paid for his ticket?"

"Huh?" David wished she would leave him alone.

"The stubs – both of them – were in your pants pocket!"

"Oh, nice going through my pockets now Maddie? For what reason?"

"I go through your pockets all the time David because you're too dumb to empty your pockets before you throw them into the hamper!"

"Oh, so I'm dumb now?"

"Not just now!" She mocked him.

David turned on his heel and left the laundry room. He got in his car and began to drive around aimlessly. He needed to vent to someone, and his first thought was Meg. The kiss flitted through his mind, but he convinced himself it was a one-time lapse of judgement and they had both agreed to forget it. He pulled up in front of a pay phone and dialed her number. He hoped she could get away for a bit, but he realized it was Sunday and her husband was most likely at home. He was just about to hang up when Meg's sultry voice answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey!"

Despite herself Meg's body tingled at the sound of David Addison's syrupy voice. She smiled into the phone, "hey back! Anything wrong?" Why would he be calling her on a Sunday morning?

David was silent for a minute.

"David you still there?"

He nodded and realized he was on the phone and she couldn't see him, "Yeah, I'm here. Listen I know its Sunday and all, but I could really use an ear to vent to. Can you get away for a half hour or so?" He asked, "I'll buy you a cup of coffee." He offered teasingly.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just a tiff with the old lady."

Meg thought for a second, "why not come here?" She suggested, "I make a great cup of coffee and I just made a batch of chocolate chip muffins."

"Wait? Where's the hubby?" David inquired.

Meg sounded fed up, "right now? Somewhere over the southeast. He was called to the Florida office for an emergency.

"Oh. Ok, are you sure it's ok?"

Meg laughed, "of course its ok! I'm putting on the pot of coffee so get your butt over here!"

Without another thought, David drove over to Meg's house and pulled into the winding driveway.

As they ate muffins and drank coffee, they lamented over their spouses.

David shrugged and ran his hand through his hair, he recounted part of what had happened that morning. "Yea and then she called me dumb."

Meg's eyes widened in disbelief, "wow that's not nice!"

David gave a bitter laugh, "yeah sometimes Maddie isn't very nice. Especially to me. Anyways, I left to drive around and clear my head."

Meg searched David's face. She could see the hurt and anger in the green depths. "She really is wrong to call you names!"

"Ya think?"

"You're not dumb at all!"

David laughed and then turned his attention to the twins who were fighting over a toy car. They were a handful.

"Stop!" Meg told them as she took the toy and shooed them to their room. "Be right back." She told David following the twins.

After their morning of running around and playing, the twins were knocked out. Meg put them down for their nap and came back to sit on the sofa next to David. "Those boys tire me out!" She sighed as she plopped down close to David.

"Asleep?"

Meg nodded. "Thank God!" She ran her hands through her hair. "They should sleep for at least 2 hours!" She picked up her long hair and rolled it into a bun, "I should take a nap too, but I'd rather sit and talk with you." She smiled into his green gems. "So, tell me more about your argument with your wife." She didn't like to say her name. Made her too real. David told her about the movie stubs, and she looked at him with fear in her eyes, "oh no! You didn't tell her you went with me, did you?" Steve would kill him and then her.

"Of course not. I made up a story of meeting a bowling pal." He didn't want to discuss Maddie anymore. He was here to forget about the argument.

"Oh." Meghan looked into his eyes and shivered, David was really a gorgeous man.

"Yeah let's not talk about Maddie or the argument anymore." Stop Dave a little voice screamed in his head. Go for it Dirty Dave another screamed louder– who's gonna know? He leaned closer to Meg.

"What do you want to talk about?" She moved closer to him until their lips were inches apart.

They moved together. His tongue slipped into her mouth and her arms went around his broad shoulders pulling him on top of her. They were locked in a lusty missionary embrace. Her hands moved to his belt buckle; his hands moved to the buttons on her blouse– their kisses continued in a frenzy of lust -then they both stopped at once.

"We can't do this!"

"Let's not do this!"

Horror covered both their faces as they pulled apart.

David moved off of her and stood up fixing his jeans. Meg sat up and rebuttoned her blouse. Without a word, David left her house without a backward glance. When he got back in his car, he put his head in his hands in disbelief. What on earth had he been thinking? He had almost cheated on his wife! After the kiss at the theater, he should have been smart enough to know that it wasn't 'safe' to be alone with Meg!

With everything swirling through his mind David didn't realize that he had already reached home. David stopped in the circular driveway and looked at his house. He had never imagined when he first met Maddie that he would ever be living in her mini-mansion or sharing a name. Their path to becoming a couple had been strewn with misunderstandings, insecurities and confusion. Finally, they had made a happy life together. He still felt chills of dread when he realized that he had almost thrown their life away. If he had gone through with what he had almost done with Meg he knew the guilt would have been too much for him – someway, somehow- he would have confessed to Maddie. Who would certainly have left him if she didn't kill him first. He put his head on the steering wheel for a minute to compose himself. Nothing happened and nothing ever would. He swore that he would never put himself in a situation like that ever again.

David entered the house and threw his keys on the table beside the door. At first, his blood chilled thinking that the house was empty but then he heard the sound of Mandy's laughter which was coming from the backyard. He heard water splashing and figured they were in the inground pool that he loved. He ran up the stairs, took a quick shower to wash away all traces of Meg, donned his swim trunks and headed toward his wife and daughter.

The sight of his wife and daughter frolicking in the pool made him smile. Maddie was pulling around a huge blow up dolphin that Mandy was sitting in. The toddler was laughing with delight. He careful snuck up on his wife and put his hands around her slim waist. He nuzzled her neck until he got to that spot and heard her gasp. "I'm sorry baby." He whispered with a lazy drawl, "I've been a bad boy." She never would know how bad – "forgive me?"

Maddie could never resist David when he used that voice, but she was still miffed at him. "Oh, decided to come home?" She asked not turning around but the feel of his lips trailing over her neck was making her blood boil.

"How could I stay away?" He drawled lazily as his fingers snuck under the bottom of her bathing suit. He chuckled as he felt the proof of her excitement.

"Stop David! The baby!"

He nipped at that spot, "yeah a BABY, she knows nothing." He continued to play with that spot until Maddie reluctantly pulled away. "Not now David." Her faced was flushed with arousal. David stared at her in her one-piece blue bathing suit that was molded to all her curves and needed to get his hands on her. He needed to wipe the feeling of Meg off his lips and hands. He could see her hardened nipples through the sheer fabric of her wet suit. "Maybe Mandy needs a little nap." He suggested as his eyes ran slowly over her body.

Maddie picked Mandy up and toweled her little body off. She could see the sleepiness in her daughter's eyes. She knew the baby would be falling asleep soon, but she didn't want to use sex to make up. There was still the matter of two ticket stubs in his pocket! She wanted him but she needed answers first. "So, where did you go?" Maddie held Mandy in her arms as a barricade against David and his wandering hands.

We… I almost screwed another woman but came to my senses just in time. Instead – "Just drove around, stopped for coffee, drove around some more." He didn't want to argue. "I said I was sorry."

Maddie stared into his eyes, she sometimes wished she could read his mind, "I know David, but you never did answer why you had two stubs in your jeans."

"I borrowed a ten from Mac a couple of weeks ago so instead of paying him in cash I just bought him a ticket." He shrugged, "no big deal."

His answer didn't sit right with Maddie, but she needed to start trusting her husband, so she accepted what David told her reluctantly. She also didn't want to start up another argument. They needed to get back on track. And she knew the perfect way.

Mandy was half asleep when Maddie put her down in her playpen; she looked adorable with her thumb in her mouth and her little butt in the air. Maddie smiled down at her daughter then looked up when she felt David move behind her. She could feel the hardness of his arousal and moaned as his hands moved over her body slowly with his magic hands. He moved her over to the blanket on the grass and pushed her down gently. With deft fingers he removed her bathing suit and stood standing over Maddie with a smug smirk that caused her body to squirm with anticipation. David pulled off his shorts revealing his huge member ready for action – Maddie opened her legs as he covered her body with his. Soon they were wrapped around each other in the throes of passion. Her need for David was so great she came with one strong thrust; soon they reached their rhythm and in a short time Maddie spiraled into another strong orgasm allowing David to let go into his own momentous climax. Afterward, David enveloped Maddie in his arms and held her tightly to his body. "I love you Maddie." He told her truthfully. "I never want to lose you."

Maddie looked up into his eyes that were so full of love she almost swooned. She hoped it would never come to that either.

The next couple of weeks passed quickly. Mandy was growing like a weed. She no longer walked but ran! By the end of the day David was worn out. Being at home with a toddler was not easy. He cherished the rare and few times that Mandy took a long nap. And keeping up with the housework had become an even lower priority in his daily list of tasks. Although, Maddie understood how hard it was to be with a rambunctious toddler all day long she was still peeved when she got home to toys everywhere, dirty dishes in the sink, crumbs everywhere – a general mess. Hiring a full-time maid was not in their budget. Maddie's resolve to stay home with her daughter became stronger than ever. She knew that she would be able to manage things better than David. They had a few arguments over the chores; but both made sure they no longer went to bed angry.

When Maddie came home early one evening, David was trying to clear up the clutter. She stood by the front door silently holding back her laughter as she watched David pick up toys, and random objects just to have Mandy throw them on the floor again. She was hopping and skipping behind David and undoing his attempt at decluttering the mess. When David turned around to find the living room once again a cluttered mess; he looked defeated. A tinkling laugh caused him to turn towards the door. "Maddie?"

"David!" She grinned as she bent to pick up Mandy who had cannonballed into her legs almost knocking her down. She picked up Mandy who immediately struggled to escape from Maddie's arms.

David scratched his head, he spread his arms to encompass the room, "sorry for the mess." He shrugged, "I try."

Maddie shook her head and smiled, David looked adorable standing next to the staircase dressed in old sweats, a white t-shirt with his hair a tousled mess. She put Mandy down and headed towards David. She put her arms around his back and pulled him close. She could feel his scruffy face against her cheeks, and it turned her on. She stared into his green eyes, they looked tired and distressed. "All's fine David." She kissed him on the side of his mouth, "go upstairs and take a long hot bath or shower. I got this." Mandy was trying to fit between their legs and hollering for their attention. They ignored her.

"Aren't I the one supposed to be suggesting that to you when I come home from work?" David half-joked. He wanted to get back to his career.

Mandy unhappily ran around the room in circles until she ran right into the open closet door.

"David listen…" Maddie was just about to tell David how she felt when a blood curdling scream interrupted her.

David and Maddie ran toward Mandy. David got there first and cautiously looking over the toddler for injuries. All he could find was a tiny scratch on her arm where she had hit it on the door lock. "It's ok Mandy girl!" He comforted her, he didn't like to make a fuss over small cuts and injuries. Mandy pointed to her scratch with her chubby finger, "boo boo."

Maddie and David laughed. David picked Mandy up and twirled her around.

The moment to discuss staying home had passed. Maddie walked to the table and picked up the mail. "David did I mention there is a benefit next Saturday for battered wives?"

David nodded, "No way out of it?" He hated those functions. He would rather just give a nice donation and call it a day.

She raised an eyebrow, "no. One of the agencies top clients is the director and we have to show our support." She eyed him up and down, "and it might be nice of you to get out of those sweats and into some adult clothes."

David moved to her side and pulled her against him, his hand disappeared into the slit in her skirt, "you want to get me out of these sweats?" He drawled into her ear, "soon as Mandy is down for the night." He promised kissing her neck slowly. "I think we should feed the kid now and put her to bed right after." And they did.

Maddie had been feeling sick and tired for the entire week before the gala and wasn't sure she was up to going. The day before the party she was feeling much better, but it hit her that she was feeling exactly the same as she had felt when she was pregnant with Mandy. She raced to the drugstore to buy a pregnancy test. As soon as she got back to the office, she quickly went into her private bathroom to take the test. A huge smile covered her face. Another Addison was planning to enter the world very soon! She decided to wait for after the gala to tell David. She already had it planned in her head: a chilled bottle of champagne, some alone time – making sweet love.

Maddie was sitting her vanity table pulling up her stockings and watching David shrug into his tuxedo jacket. She felt her pulse race as her eyes drank him in. No man could rock a tuxedo like David. The man was drop dead gorgeous and he was all hers. She couldn't wait to tell him the great news. When he was in the shower, she snuck a bottle of champagne in the back of the fridge for later. Her heartbeat fast in anticipation of his reaction. She knew he would be thrilled!

David could feel Maddie' eyes on him as he dressed. He turned to her with a lopsided grin, "see anything you like?" Teasingly, he turned 360 degrees.

"I like." Maddie stood up, turned around and pulled her hair off her back. "Zip me please."

David kissed the back of her neck slowly, "unzip me please."

Even after all this time David could still turn her on with just a look or the sound of his syrupy voice. "David you're so bad." She giggled as she moved away from him reluctantly.

"And that's what makes me so good." He winked and sat on the bed to put on his shoes. "Where did you find this babysitter again?" David was worried. They had never left Mandy with a strange babysitter before, but Agnes and Bert had gone away for the weekend and no one else they knew was available.

"She's Agnes' niece," Maddie informed him, "you met her at one of their barbeques over the summer. She's a first-year college student and Agnes uses her to babysit all the time. She will be fine David." She loved how he worried about their baby but sometimes he was too much.

"If you say so."

"I say so."

David was bored. He stood against the bar and sipped at his tequila as his eyes darted around the room in search of his wife. He wanted to leave as soon as he found her. They had already eaten the rubber chicken dinner and mingled with the people they needed to impress. Now, it was time to go. He felt a touch on his arm and turned to look into the eyes of Meghan Malloy. David felt a jolt when she smiled. "Meg!?"

"I thought it was you David!" Meg smiled, her husband was outside smoking and talking to a very important client (as he put it) so she knew she had a few minutes before he'd be back. "How've you been?"

David nodded, "Ok. I haven't been to playgroup since..." His voice trailed off.

Meg frowned, "me neither. David, I wanted to apologize." She began but David cut her off...

"Apologize to me? I'm the one..."

Meg shook her head and touched his arm again, she let her hand stay there, "no it was both our fault. We were both wrong," she admitted, "but nothing happened."

Maddie searched the room for her husband and her eyes narrowed when she saw him by the bar chatting up a shapely brunette. They looked like they were deep in conversation but what really riled Maddie up was the possessive way her hand was resting on David's arm. Who was she? Maddie was going to find out!

Meg smiled, "anyway it is nice to see you, but I better go before my husband sees us together. He's been wondering who David is. He says I mentioned you one too many times," Meg shook her head, she lowered her voice to whisper in David's ear, "I miss talking to you."

Suddenly, they heard a loud throat clearing. They both looked up to see angry blue eyes staring at them. David straightened up to his full height. "Maddie!"

Before Maddie could say a word a tall man with dark blonde hair barged between David and Meg, almost knocking David off his feet. "Meg! I've been looking all over for you!" The man said but he was looking at David and not Meg. He looked at the nametag on David's tux, and a dark cloud covered his rugged face.

Meg immediately took her hand off David's arm and moved toward her husband. "Steve! I thought you were outside smoking." She told him grabbing his arm and trying to move him away from David and his wife Maddie Hayes. The woman was more stunning in person than in photos. She probably would be even more beautiful is her face wasn't covered by an angry scowl. "Come on I want you to meet some friends of mine." She tried to pull him away, but he brushed her hand off of his arm, "I think I may be more interested in your friend right here." His deep brown eyes bored into David's green ones.

David extended his hand to Meg's husband, but the other man just stared in down until David withdrew it uncomfortably. "I'm David Addison." He introduced himself, "and this is my wife..."

Steve interrupted David with a snort, "I know exactly who you are." His eyes were mean.

Maddie was confused. Who was this woman who seemed so familiar with David? Dread and anger began to overwhelm her; but she was practiced enough as a model to keep a blank look on her face. She turned to David, "Who are these people David?"

Steve sneered at David, "I've heard a lot about you Addison. Seems like you and my wife are pretty friendly."

Maddie glared at David, "he's heard a lot about you David, but you've never mentioned her to me." She almost snarled, "not once!"

"She's a mom from my playgroup." David tried to explain. "Mandy and her twins like to play together?"

Steve moved toward David, "seems like it's not only the kids who like to play together!" He raged as he threw a punch that landed on David's left eye. David was about to retaliate when a security officer approached and pulled Steve away.

Meg ran after her husband leaving David and Maddie alone at the bar. David grabbed Maddie's arm, "listen honey, it's not what you think..."

Maddie looked at David's hand on her arm like it was a snake, she pulled away and shot blue daggers at him, "You have no clue what I'm thinking," she turned her back at him, "you're just exactly the asshole I first took you for. Thanks for proving me right!"

Before David went after her he downed his drink and ordered another which he poured down his throat. He needed time to think of how he was going to explain this away. Meanwhile, the bartender gave him a pack of ice for his swollen eye. David pressed the ice to his eye and sat sullenly at the bar. Finally, he forced himself to go to his angry wife.

By the time David got to the valet station, Maddie had already driven off. He was forced to take a cab home, forced to sit in the cab and struggle with his thoughts. He knew what happened didn't look good, but he hoped he could explain it away. Steve was a control freak who was extremely jealous and possessive and thought any man who looked at his wife was screwing her? Yeah that was credible. When the cab finally reached home, David wasn't as sure as he had been about Maddie buying his story. But it was the only one he had –the truth was not an option!

David threw his keys on the table, kicked off his shoes and ran up the stairs. He threw open their bedroom door, but the room was empty. "Maddie?" He called out but not loudly enough to wake Mandy. He looked in the bathroom. Not there. He looked in the guest room, Empty. He quietly opened the door to their daughter's room where he found his wife.

Maddie heard the door to the baby's room opened and turned toward David with an angry glare, "go away David!" She whispered as not to wake Mandy. She had already paid and sent Dora, Agnes' niece on her way.

David approached the crib and looked down at his sleeping daughter. He prayed that his almost dalliance with Meg hadn't destroyed his home and marriage. He had been an asshole and he knew it. "Maddie, we need to talk." He whispered back.

Maddie backed away from the crib, turned and left the room without answering David. She was hurt and angry. Had David cheated on her? They had only been married a little over a year! Was he really the type of man she had once believed he was? Those thoughts made her feel physically ill! Should she even give him a chance to explain – and lie? Maybe it was her fault since she was the one who agreed to let David stay home with Mandy. She should have seen it coming. All those lonely housewives – and David. How many of them had he screwed? Wild rage ran over her.

She slammed into their bedroom and when David came in after her, she reached for the statue on her dresser and pegged it at him, next was her hairbrush, the lamp on the side of the bed - anything she could toss his way–David was ducking and dodging the flying missiles as he tried to reach Maddie. David didn't have time to get out of the way and the flying remote hit David on his forehead. He reached up to where the remote had hit him and he felt blood. "Maddie stop!" He cried as he ducked the latest object and finally reached his crazed wife, "Stop!" Maddie moved toward David like a wild banshee; she began to pummel him with her fists. "I hate you! How did I ever trust you! You sex maniac! You pig!" She kicked him in his shin.

"Owww! That hurt!"

"Good!"

David pushed Maddie away and backed away from her to try and avoid more harm to his body. The blood from the gash in his forehead began to sting David's eyes. He picked up the nearest thing to him to wipe off the blood.

Maddie saw him wiping the blood off his face with the quilt her grandmother made for her and that riled her up even more. "What do you think you are doing? My Grandma Hayes made that for me! Stop! I don't want the blood of a cheater all over my grandmother's blanket!"

David stopped wiping his head, his eyes glared at her, "I am not a cheater!"

Maddie ignored him, "Give me that blanket you adultering swine" she screeched, grabbing the blanket out of his hand, "My grandparents would be so disgusted I married a man who can't keep it in his pants! My family comes from a long line of faithful Hayes men!"

David smirked at her wickedly, "a long line of faithful men you say?" He tilted his head, "Gee, I think I remember one of the Hayes men messing the sheets with someone other than Mrs. Hayes."

"Stop that David!" Maddie never wanted to admit her dad had once cheated on her mother. David knew how it hurt her so for him to bring it up was mean and cruel in her eyes.

David scratched his head, "seems I remember following one Alexander Hayes to a little love nest just off the freeway." He stared at Maddie, "and the woman he was with was not your mother!"

Maddie's eyes were almost bulged out of her head, I said stop that! My father is a good man! A decent man."

"Yes, he is a decent man, but HE CHEATED! And I don't CHEAT!" David screamed over her! "He's a cheater! Cheater! Cheater!"

"I hate you!" Maddie yelled loud enough to wake the dead as she flung whatever she could get her hands on at his head. Crash! Boom! Bang!

David dodged the new projectiles as he ran toward Maddie. "Stop it already! I didn't cheat! Stop it!" David held his arms in front of his face until he was able to get close enough to Maddie to grab her hands.

Maddie was like a feral animal – clawing and kicking out at David.

"Will you fucking listen to Me!?" David bellowed, "enough already! You're acting crazy!"

Maddie pulled out of his grip and she fell onto the bed sobbing loudly, "I trusted you!" she cried. "And I am crazy! For trusting you!"

"I love you Maddie. Please listen to me!" David attempted to pull her in his arms to soothe her, but she kicked at him landing square on his jaw. He moved back to safety and rubbed his chin. Damn that hurt! "Will you fucking stop before you kill me!"

"Maybe that's my plan!" She sat up and stared at him with wild eyes, "you bastard!"

David nervously moved away from her; he'd never seen her this out-of-control. "Listen to me! I never cheated on you! Let me talk!"

"Maddie sat up and gazed at him with hurt and angry eyes, "I should have listened to my brain and not my body! I should have known you couldn't be a decent husband! I should have never married you!"

David's eyes were now the hurt and angry ones. "You're crossing the line Maddie." David warned in a low voice.

"Get out of this room or I WILL kill you!"

David backed out of the room, shaking his head. He knew he'd never be able to sleep. He was filled with hurt, anger, and his eye and jaw were killing him. He went downstairs to the living room bar and poured tequila down his throat until he was drunk enough to pass out. When he woke up, David was sprawled out on the sofa still dressed in his tux. He sat up gingerly and put his head in his hands. Every part of his body above the shoulders ached. He stood up and had to hold on to the arm of the couch when a feeling of dizziness overcame him. Through his bloodshot eyes, he was able to make out the clock on the wall. 6 and from judging from the sun outside it was still morning. And it was Sunday. Everything that happened the night before came back to him in a flash. He fell back on the couch in misery.

After hours of sobbing, Maddie finally fell into a fitful sleep but was woken up a couple of hours later by her daughter's cries. Mandy was wet and thirsty, so Maddie changed her, gave her some water and then took her back into bed with her. The clock said it was almost 6. Still time for some sleep. She didn't want to face the day – or David yet. Cuddling with her daughter, her thoughts wandered. In the cold light of day, she began to question her reaction toward David. Did her insecurities and fears give her the right to act like a wild banshee? And now she was pregnant with that scallywag's baby! She buried her head in her daughter's neck. She should listen to what David had to say about what happened last night, but she couldn't shake the image of that woman's hand on his arm! They looked much too cozy and familiar with each other for Maddie's liking! No woman should touch David except her, but he seemed fine with that woman's hand on him! Ok she reasoned it was only a hand on an arm, but it made her jealous and furious and scared. Yes! She was scared. Frightened of David getting tired of her and seeking out younger women. And how dare David bring up her father! He knew how that had hurt her! Maddie snuggled closer to Mandy. But she had to admit that she had brought up faithful men and used her dad as an example. Did she really expect David not to have thrown it in her face after the nasty things she had said to him? And if her father could cheat, then in her eyes, any man could! And especially a man who women ran after –like David. She closed her eyes tighter to shut out the image of him making love to another woman. Maddie fell asleep with Mandy in her arms.

David was shocked to see himself in the mirror. He looked like he had gone 10 rounds with Joe Louis. And it hurt like Hell. But after a long hot shower. A few Tylenol and some coffee and toast, David felt almost human. He wrapped a towel around his waist and headed towards his bedroom to get some clothes. He saw Maddie asleep with Mandy snuggled in her arms and his first thought was to wake his wife up with kisses as he would on any other morning but after last night he just didn't know how to act. Quietly, he dressed in shorts and a t-shirt with the words World's Best Dad scrawled across the front. He stared at their bed with Maddie and Mandy, sighed with regret, then headed down to the kitchen where he began to make a delicious breakfast which he hoped would help mend things even a little.

Maddie woke up to the smell of coffee and bacon. She was still tired from tossing and turning all night and was not hungry at all. Actually, the smell of bacon was making her nauseous. Maddie put a still sleepy Mandy in her playpen and rushed to the bathroom where she was sick as a dog. She lay her head on the cold bathroom tile and thought about the tiny being growing inside of her. No matter what happened with her marriage, Maddie knew this baby was a gift from God and she loved it already. Quickly, she jumped in the shower and dressed for the day. Thankfully, she was meeting Agnes and some of her mom friends for a mommy and me excursion to the beach and aquarium. She and Mandy would be gone for most of the day and Maddie was glad. She still didn't want to talk to David or hear his feeble excuses about that woman!

When Maddie walked into the kitchen and saw David's face, she was immediately concerned but her anger and hurt left her silent. His eye was back and red and swollen, there was a nasty gash on his forehead and a black and blue bruise on his chin where she had kicked him. She felt a rush of shame run over her. She should never use physical violence toward anyone and especially not the man she loves.

David heard Mandy and his wife enter the kitchen before he saw them. He was washing the pans he had used to make breakfast, he turned around when he heard the sound of Mandy calling out to him.

"My little woman!" David exclaimed as he knelt down to catch a running Mandy in his arms. He saw that both wife and child were dressed for a day at the beach, he looked up at Maddie, "going to the beach?" He tried to keep his voice blank, he didn't want to start another row.

Maddie nodded, "I told you last week Mandy and I had a day planned. We're going to the beach and then the aquarium with a few of the moms Agnes is friendly with." Maddie sat Mandy in her highchair. "We should be gone most of the day." Maddie couldn't stand to see the hurt she had inflicted on David. She was not proud of her actions. "How's your face?" She asked as she gave Mandy some scrambled eggs and toast. "Does it hurt?

"Does the Pope pray? Does a math major multiply? Damn straight it hurts." David gingerly touched his eye, "hurts like a bitch."

Maddie reached into the freezer and pulled out a frozen shape that resembled a teddy bear, "here put this on your eye." She directed him.

David looked at it and laughed, "boo boo bear!" He put the ice on his eye, "look Mandy! Daddy is using boo boo bear!"

Mandy laughed, kicked her legs and tossed a piece of bacon at her father.

A few minutes later Maddie and Mandy left leaving David alone in a cold silent house. He tried to remember what he used to do on Sunday mornings before his relationship with Maddie started. Frequently, Sunday mornings would usually find him in bed with his flavor of the week; usually with a hangover. Then he would slink out of whoever's bed he had occupied for the night and head home where he spent the rest of the day watching whatever seasonal sports game that was on TV and ordering pizza or Chinese Food. He also remembered how he looked forward to seeing Maddie on Monday mornings. He plopped on the sofa and sighed deeply. He had finally caught his prize and in the usual dumb David fashion screwed it all up. How could he have ever thought of being with another woman? His family meant everything to him, and he vowed to make it up to Maddie. But first he had to get through the rest of the day – alone.

Maddie drove to Agnes' house where the other woman had agreed to meet. Agnes thought it would be fun for the women to gather together and go to the beach with their babies. She had made friends with a couple of women she had met through her church's play group and they had invited a couple of their friends. One of Agnes' friends had a beach house that had a private beach and that is where they were headed. The women had all brought food and snacks for themselves and their kids. They planned to barbeque (Agnes was an expert since Bert could never start the grill!) and just relax and have some good times with their babies.

Altogether, there were 6 women and 8 babies going on the daytrip to the beach. The babies ranged in age from 9months to 16 months. 2 of the women worked outside of the home full-time (Maddie), a couple (like Agnes) worked part-time and the rest were full time stay at home moms.

Maddie and Mandy got in Agnes' minivan along with 2 other moms; the others were going in another van together. The trip would take over an hour and all the mothers were praying their babies would fall asleep. They were in luck. All the babies took a nice nap and by the time they got to the beach they were awake and refreshed.

As the women all piled out of the vans that brought them to the beach Maddie gathered up Mandy and all of their beach accessories and headed towards the sand. As she passed the women piling out of the second van her eye caught a glimpse of a soft white hand with slender fingers and a prominent diamond ring in a gold setting…she'd recognized that hand anywhere…it was the one holding onto David's arm just a few short hours ago. Maddie stopped in her tracks and watched as the woman struggled to pull two twin boys and two of everything else out of the van…Maddie's blood boiled, "her," she thought...she was about to approach the temptress right then and there, but just as she took a step forward Agnes bounced up with her bundle of joy in her arms, "ready for some sun and sand, Mrs. Addison!?"Call me Maddie," Maddie told Agnes but her eyes stayed on the slender, dark-haired women, the one who seemed so chummy with David the night before. Agnes followed her gaze and smiled, "Oh, hi, Meg!" Meg stopped struggling with baby floaties and diaper bags long enough to look up at Agnes, "Oh, hi, Agnes…" her eyes shifted over to the beautiful blond standing next to Agnes who was staring at her with icy chips and her body froze with fear, David's wife. What was she doing here? "Do you need some help with all that?" Agnes asked cheerfully unaware that there was anything between the two women. "Uh, no…no thanks, Agnes, you go ahead…I'm used to this." Agnes nodded and shrugged, and she and Maddie made their way to the beach.

Sometime after lunch, Maddie found her moment to get some answers when Meg was sitting alone watching her kids splash around in a shallow pool. Meg saw Maddie bee-lining for her and braced herself…she figured this would be coming. "Meg." Maddie spoke to her in a direct, no-nonsense tone and stuck her hand out, "Madolyn Addison." Meg looked up, half-blinded by the bright sun behind Maddie and reached to shake her hand. "Yes, I know…" Maddie continued, "which must also mean that you know David Addison is my husband…" Meg nodded, "I do." Maddie continued, "Wonderful…well, let me be clear…I don't know exactly what your relationship is with David, but whatever it is…knock it off."

Meg responded with a nervous tone, "Mrs. Addison, really, it's not what you think, David and I are friends…through the kids play group and that's it."

Maddie searched Meg's face, "That's it, huh? Well…my gut tells me different. I don't like how close you two seemed last night…I don't like that you felt comfortable touching David the way you did…I don't like the way you whispered in each other's ear like you shared some secret…and from the look of David's eye this morning, neither does your husband…so, really, (she holds her hands up) I don't want to know…and even if I did I doubt I'd get a straight answer from you and I know I'll never get one from David…but, it needs to stop."

Meg stood up to talk to Maddie eye to eye… "Look…I need you to know, your husband is a good guy…nothing happened between us…we were just able to talk to each other about things going on in our relationships…we became friends and nothing more. Believe me, if anything inappropriate happened between David and I, my husband would be in jail right now…he's just heard me mention his name a couple time and assumed the worst…he's a really jealous guy."

Maddie interjected "well…I've never heard your name come out of my husband's mouth, which worries me more."

Meg continued, "like I said, we just talked at play groups…found someone to chat about life's trials and tribulations with while we pushed the kids on the swing set…it was all very innocent…but, I get it…it's done…and I'm sorry if any of this caused a problem in your marriage."

Maddie responded with a cold glare, "Yeah…well…I really hope you're telling me the truth here."

Meg nodded her head, "it is…I am…you have my word…"

Maddie gave her one last icy look before turning on her heels and walking away.

Meg sat down, still shaken…she hoped she sounded convincing enough. If her husband, if David's wife…ever found out about their two…stupid lapses in judgement they might both lose their families…and none of it was worth that! Really, it didn't matter anyway, because whatever ill-advised thing happened between then was done…and that was the truth.

David tried to keep himself busy with cleaning up the house and straightening up the untidy rooms. He really hadn't realized how cluttered and disorganized the house had become. Maybe they needed to have the cleaning woman in more than twice a week. The house was big, and David was not the neatest man in the world although he was trying his hardest to keep the house in some semblance of order as he watch a rambunctious little girl. When he was done with the house David was proud of his hard work. The house was immaculate. He hoped Maddie would be happy with his efforts.

David took a long hot shower, shaved and changed into a new pair of shorts and a tight white t-shirt. He was shocked when he checked the time and noticed it was only 3 pm! Damn he knew Maddie and Mandy wouldn't be home before at least 7 or 8. He threw himself on the comfy chair near the fireplace. Maybe he should go out for a little while. Waste some time. But David could think of no place he wanted to go and no one he wanted to be with -except his wife and baby. He sighed deeply. Maybe he'd take a trip to the supermarket. Their pantry was getting low and they needed some milk and snacks. David picked up his keys and was on his way.

Being alone at the supermarket only made David feel lonelier. Everywhere he looked there were families shopping together. And he was alone and miserable. He also saw how people were looking at his injured face. He quickly put what he needed into the grocery cart, grabbed some lasagna noodles and fixings for a homemade sauce and left the store.

David spent the next couple of hours preparing a special dinner. He had always been a decent cook. After his mom died it fell to either him or Richie to prepare their meals since their father was rarely home. And even a little boy and a teenager got tired of pizza and Chinese after a while. So, he had taught himself to cook and taken over the chore of feeding himself and his brother. And lately he had perfected his cooking skills as a stay at home dad.

David made his special lasagna with sausage and vodka sauce. He knew Maddie loved it. He also made his trademark garlic bread a la Dave. A chilled a bottle of wine was in the fridge. David hoped instead of fighting he and his wife would enjoy a late dinner together. The thought of Maddie leaving him and taking Mandy was ripping a hole straight through his heart. He had to make things right before they went too far…

David heard Maddie's car pull into the driveway and ran to the door to meet her. She opened the door with a sleeping Mandy in her arms, trying to hold on to a huge beach bag and cooler. David immediately took the bags away from Maddie and opened the door for her to enter. She thanked him coolly and headed upstairs with the sleeping child.

"Yo Maddie. I made some chow? You wanna eat?" He shouted up the stairs.

Maddie came out of Mandy's room and looked down at David with a glare, "sssh, do you want to wake Mandy?" She shook her head, "I'm going to take a bath and then I might just head to bed. I'm very tired David."

A bolt of anger ran over David. Damn, she could be a cold bitch. David waited in the bedroom for Maddie to come out of the bathroom. A few minutes later she emerged wearing a white nightshirt that stopped at her knees and a towel wrapped around her wet hair. She pointedly ignored David and sat at her vanity to brush her hair.

She could see David glowering at her through the mirror, she didn't want to be so cold, but she still couldn't get the image of David and Meg out of her jealous mind. Her heart hurt when she saw David's battered face – which wasn't bruised from only that man's punch – but she pushed it away.

"So, Maddie is this how it's going to be?"

"Going to be?" Brushing.

"Shutting me out. Shutting me down? When are we going to talk about what's on your jealous mind?"

Maddie put down her brush (so she wouldn't be tempted to throw it at him) and turned toward David. "Jealous mind?" She barked at him, "I don't like to be made the fool."

David stood up, "you're not the fool! Nothing happened!"

Maddie stood up and turned to face David, "oh I had a chance to talk to your girlfriend today."

"She's NOT my girl…" David shook his head, did he hear right, "wait. What? Where did you meet Meg?" His heart stopped and his blood ran cold.

Maddie's eyes were blue ice coated with green. "Ironically she is friendly with Agnes."

David waited in silence until he could get his thoughts together. He nodded slowly, "well, I am sure she told you the same as I did. We're friends." He held up his hands, "nothing more!" God, he prayed Meg hadn't mentioned what almost did happen between them!

Maddie stared into his eyes with blue fire, "just told her whatever happened or didn't happen will never happen again."

He snapped, "I told you that there is and never will be anything between us!"

"Well, the next time I see you whispering in another woman's ear or allowing her to touch you then I can't say what the outcome may be." She nodded toward the bed, "now please leave I am tired and want to go to sleep." Maddie saw David's jaw clench. She could see he was angry, but she didn't care.

David shook his head, "I'm not sleeping on the couch tonight. I'm sleeping in this bed." He shrugged out of his clothes leaving him wearing only his tight boxer briefs. "It is still my bed too!"

"For now!" Maddie seethed! "Just keep to your side of the bed!"

"I swear I won't touch a hair on your head."

Maddie huffed angrily and began to take out extra pillows from the closet, she put them in the middle of the bed as a divider between her and David. As an added precaution she added her grandmother's quilt too. Maddie could see David's blood on the blanket and set a mental reminder to have it cleaned the next day.

"Fine!" Maddie cried holding up her hands in surrender.

"Fine!"

"Good!"

"Great!"

Maddie turned to leave the bedroom.

"Where you going? Changed your mind? Sleeping on the couch tonight?"

"Screw you David." Maddie left the room and headed toward the kitchen. She needed a tea to calm her unsteady nerves or she would never be able to sleep. She also hoped David would be asleep by the time she went back to bed. She had a lot of thinking to do.

When Maddie walked into the kitchen, she was shocked to see a pan of David's lasagna, garlic bread and a bottle of wine. She felt a twinge of regret when she realized that David had prepared a special meal for her. She sat down at the table and put her head in her hands. She remembered the look of misery and sadness in David's eyes this morning and even tonight before the hurt turned to anger – thanks to her stubbornness and her jealousy. But just the thought of David touching another woman- kissing another woman – making love to another woman - made her crazed with jealousy. Maybe it was time to allow David to have his say. She put her hand on her still flat belly. She had to also think of the baby inside of her. Whatever happened between her and David would also impact Mandy and this new child. Yes, they needed to talk things out! But by the time she got upstairs David was fast asleep – or pretending to be.

Actually, David had fallen asleep. All the anxiety, tension and misery of the day had caught up to him.

Gingerly, Maddie climbed into bed. Her thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion. She missed the heat of David's body and all the pillows she had put up as a fort between them left her little room to get comfortable. She pushed some of the pillows closer to David and finally fell into a fitful sleep. She was awakened during the night by David tossing and turning. Thinking he was having a nightmare; Maddie was just about to shake him awake when she heard him calling her name in his sleep. His voice sounded desperate, "Maddie, Maddie. I love you. Please."

Maddie sat up with her ears perked.

"Please don't leave!" David pleaded in his sleep.

David turned over on his back and began to snore. Maddie waited but his sleep talking ceased as fast as it had begun. She lay back down and stared up at the ceiling until it the sun rose.

When Maddie got out of bed a feeling of dizziness and nausea ran over her. She raced to the bathroom where she was violently sick. Lying her head on the cold tile of the bathroom floor made her feeling a little better but she felt too ill to stand. She felt a sticky substance oozing down her leg and when she looked, she saw it was blood. Maddie's heart began to palpitate with fear.

"David! David!" She cried loudly, "please come in here!"

David was awakened by Maddie's desperate cries. He jumped out of bed and sprinted to the bathroom where he found Maddie sobbing on the floor. At first, he didn't notice the blood dribbling down her leg.

"What is it? What's happening?" David bent over to take her in his arms and help her to her feet.

"I think I'm losing the baby!" She sobbed as she held on to him for dear life.

David was shocked, "baby? What baby?" Then he saw the blood and his heart stood still.

Maddie didn't reply she just cried harder. Without another word, David bundled up Maddie and practically carried her to the van. When he saw she was comfortable, he ran back into the house to get Mandy. The baby was still asleep when he strapped her into her car seat and raced toward the hospital.

Maddie's face was still as white as a ghost as she lie in the hospital bed. David sat in a chair next to her holding a cranky Mandy who had woken up and was hungry and thirsty. David had forgotten to bring the diaper bag in his haste to get to the hospital. A nurse had gone to get the toddler a snack and some milk.

The doctor had just left the room. He had reassured them that the baby was fine and thriving. He said that sometimes women get a mini period even when they are pregnant.

David didn't want to upset Maddie, but he felt hurt and angry. "When were you going to tell me about the baby?"

"I was going to tell…." Maddie fell silent as the nurse came in with a cheese sandwich and milk for Mandy.

The nurse offered the sandwich to Mandy who giggled and put her head on David's shoulder. He took the sandwich and milk from the nurse with a smile, "what do we say to the nice nurse?" He prodded the toddler who only giggled again and reached for the milk which was in a toddler cup decorated with teddy bears.

The nurse smiled back at David. Damn, she thought he was a hot one. Why were all the good ones married. She inwardly sighed with regret and left the room with a wave at the couple.

David put Mandy in the chair next to him and tied her in with his jacket. Mandy happily ate her sandwich and drank her milk as she hummed a little tune.

Maddie sat up, "why are you trying our child to a chair?" Only David!

He shrugged, "you got a better idea?"

She didn't. The couple remained silent. It was not a comfortable silence. David raised an eyebrow, "so?"

Maddie pushed her hair off of her face, "like I was saying, I was going to tell you after the gala!" She told him with a serious expression on her face, "I even had champagne chilling in the refrigerator."

"I didn't see any champagne."

"I hid it. I wanted to surprise you with the news and then we'd celebrate." She shook her head, "but then…"

"But then? Did you decide you weren't going to tell me because of Meg?" His voice was coated with anger and hurt, "maybe you were planning a not so short trip back to the windy city?" His green eyes bore into her blue ones.

"Of course, not David!" She denied, "I was going to tell you but not when we were fighting."

"I wasn't fighting."

"You know what I mean."

David sighed and took her hand. "I love you Maddie. And I love that we're having another baby. I don't want to lose you!"

"I don't want to lose you either!" She exclaimed. "No more Meg!" She demanded with a stern look, "actually no more women friends at all!"

He crossed his heart, "none, ever!"

When they got home later that day, they put Mandy down for a nap. The couple sat down on the couch with steaming cups of cocoa. They came clean with each other about what they've been feeling.

"So why didn't you tell me you wanted to get back to work?" Maddie inquired sipping her cocoa. "I thought you were happy staying home and going to play groups and befriending other women." She said with a half-smile.

David put his hand up, "stop! No more play groups! No more women friends." He put his cup down on the coffee table and put Maddie's feet in his lap, "why didn't you tell me you wanted to stay home? I thought you were happy being a working mom?"

"I was at first but then I started to miss being with Mandy. I mean you were enjoying the best parts of her…"

"Yeah like throwing up and flinging food."

"You know what I mean!" Maddie laughed, "I missed her first steps because I was at the office. I don't want to miss any more firsts!" She patted her belly, "and now that we're having Addison baby #2, I think it is time for me to step off the career ladder."

David nodded.

"Is that okay?" she asked in a small voice.

"Better than okay! It's great great! I am thrilled that you want to stay home with the bambinos. I know I am going to miss being home with Mandy, but I am itching to get back to work." His fingers ran up her leg. "I adore you, ya know?"

"Sometimes I don't." She admitted.

"Well, I do. And you adore me!" He crowed.

"Cocky, aren't we?"

"The cockiest!"

They laughed and kissed. Life was good.

Epilogue!

Two years later!

Epilogue!

Two years later!

David and Maddie were sauntering in the park with 4 –year old Mandy and their almost 2 -year old identical twin boys, Alex and David who were the exact clones of their father including the Addison smirk, lop sided grin and joking nature. Maddie was pushing the stroller holding the twins, (who were desperate to get out of their prison), Mandy was skipping in front and David held the leash of their 1-year old Golden Retriever who Mandy had named Barney after the popular purple dinosaur that David hated with a passion. The past 2 years had been busy, chaotic but happy. David returned to Blue Moon and Maddie had her hands filled with 3 children under the age of 5 and a huge dog who had a heart of gold but brought more chaos and messiness into their lives. As they walked along, Maddie gazed at her family and was overwhelmed with a feeling of joy. So, many times they had almost given up their relationship. But together with their love they had come through.

Maddie's life was hectic at times. Mandy was a drama queen and could throw major temper tantrums when she didn't get her way (David insisted that she took after her mom), and the boys were a handful. They were wild, boisterous and at times unmanageable, but Maddie was happy. She finally found the love and contentment that she hadn't even know she wanted – and needed.

David was also a happy man. The business was growing in leaps and bounds and finally money was no longer a problem. They had hired a nanny to help out around the house and keep Maddie sane. Her name was Bertha Parks. Both David and Maddie knew her from Blue Moon. She had been the night cleaning woman and hated her job. Before Bertha, David had hired a young woman who had come highly recommended from a reputable nanny agency. At first, Maddie was a bit peeved that David had hired her because the girl was young and very sexy. David had only hired her because of her stellar resume and the recommendation of the nanny agency. He really hadn't given her looks a second thought.

She was fired a couple of weeks after she was hired. The girl was lazy, nosy and was way too flirtatious – with Maddie! So, when David discovered one night talking to Berta that she had once been a nanny and had raised 4 successful sons he asked her if she would be interested in working for his family as a nanny. She immediately accepted. That was 6 months ago, and David knew that she had been sent from Heaven. Everyone loved Bertha. And she was a wonderful nanny. Kind and patient but also firm and fair. She knew how to handle the rambunctious twins and both a screaming Mandy and her mom who could fly off the handle at times too. And now, Maddie was also thinking of returning to work maybe 2 days a week when the boys were a bit older. Mandy would be in school in a few months too. Life was good.

Suddenly, from the corner of her eye Maddie caught a glint of a gold diamond ring on a soft white hand pushing a stroller, a hand she will always remember for the rest of her life. Because it was that hand that had been resting on her husband's arm. And when she looked up the hand was attached to the dark-haired beauty who Maddie would never forget.

The shapely brunette walking towards them with twin boys was approaching quickly. Maddie felt her blood run hot and then cold. She still couldn't get the image of that woman whispering into David's ear, touching him...

David was busy trying to keep Barney from running after a squirrel, so he didn't notice Meg Malloy walking near. Meg saw David and Maddie approaching and a smile came to her face. She still missed David, but they had made the right decision in stopping the madness between them. When she thought of the consequences for their almost affair, she felt sick. But after that incident. Steve had seen the light. He cut down on his traveling and made time for Meg and the boys and when she found herself pregnant again- this time with identical twin girls they were delighted. Steve also made sure she had help for the times he couldn't be home. Luckily, they had the money to hire a nanny and a maid. Life was good.

David looked up just in time to see Meg. His stomach dropped. She smiled at him. Maddie felt ice run through her veins and the audacity of that woman to smile at David. But before Maddie could say anything a man came over pushing a double stroller similar to the one, they had for the boys. He put his arm around Meg's waist and looked David in the eye. "Listen about what happened…"

"That was a long time ago." David told the other man with a blank face. Was he going to get punched again?

Steve shook his head, "no, not so long. But anyway, after that night Meg and I had a long talk. I was wrong to have punched you and I was wrong to have jumped to conclusions."

Maddie stood listening. She had never been 100% sure of what had gone on between David and Meg and every once in a while, she still got a pain in the pit of her stomach thinking about them.

"Yeah well…" David trailed off. He really had nothing to add. They had been partially guilty of what they were accused of doing but David would hang by his fingernails before he ever admitted that. He was sure Meg felt the same.

Steve continued, "anyway I should really thank you. If I hadn't been consumed with jealousy about thinking of Meg with another man, I never would have thought things over. Our marriage is better now." He looked down at the sleeping babies and smiled. He looked back up and extended his hand to David, "thanks." David shook Steve's hand. Steve smiled at Maddie. "I think we are a couple of lucky people." Maddie nodded "Yes, I think so too."

Maddie nodded at the other woman. Meg nodded back. Megan smiled as her eyes landed on the twins who were still trying to escape their stroller. "Wow! Your sons are beautiful! They look just like David. Meg seemed to have realized what she had said. "Oh, I meant..."

"It's fine, I know what you meant." Maddie laughed, "yep mini Davids!" She looked down into the stroller Steve had been pushing, "your girls are beautiful. Identical?"

Meg nodded, "yes. Thankfully, they're good babies. The twins are a handful!"

"All of ours are a handful!" The women laughed together. Maddie no longer felt threatened by this woman. The final stone lifted off her heart.

David waved as Meg and Steve began to walk away. Maddie looked over at her husband still trying to control the boisterous Barney and felt her heart swell. She took David's hand and put her head on his shoulder, "I love you Mr. Addison." David smiled down at his wife, "I adore you Mrs. Addison." David was happy too. He loved his wife and cherished his children.

"I'd love to hold your hand right now but unless we want Barney to drag me through the park, I think I need both hands. The dog pulled harder and David let go of Maddie's hand. David tugged on the dog's leash until Barney stopped pulling. But as soon as Barney calmed down then Mandy began to scream in anger and frustration. She had dropped the lollipop she had been enjoying and was now about to have a full-blown tantrum. At the same time the twins had become totally frustrated with their stroller prison and started screaming along with their sister. And not to be left out Barney started barking along with his human siblings. David looked at Maddie and they both laughed. Life was crazy but wonderful.

The End.


End file.
